Characterizing the concentration of ethanol-water solutions by oblique-incidence reflectivity difference combined with deep learning algorithms.

The detection of ethanol-water solution concentration plays an important role in industries, medical care, food and other aspects, which has attracted much attention. In this paper, a 632.8 nm laser combined with the oblique-incidence reflectivity difference (OIRD) method was used to obtain a signal linearly related to the solution concentration and containing the information of the dielectric constant of the solution. Combined with a variety of deep learning algorithms, ethanol-water solutions with a volume concentration of 0-95 % are detected. Among them, the prediction accuracy of the MLP, CNN, LSTM, CNN + BiLSTM + Attention models were 93.65 %, 96.54 %, 97.12 %, 99.23 %, respectively. The experimental results indicate that the OIRD method can achieve rapid, non-destructive, accurate and reliable detection of ethanol-water solutions.

Pembrolizumab Combined With GDP Regimen Inducing Sustained Remission in Histiocytic Sarcoma: A Case Report.

Histiocytic sarcoma (HS) is a rare hematopoietic neoplasm with an aggressive clinical course and a poor response to conventional chemotherapy. Currently, no standard treatment paradigms are available. Herein, we present a case of de novo HS treated with pembrolizumab combined with a GDP regimen (gemcitabine, cisplatin, and dexamethasone) that resulted in sustained complete remission with progression-free survival exceeding 4 years. Immunohistochemical analysis demonstrated significant overexpression of programmed death ligand 1 (PD-L1) on biopsy samples. Additionally, fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) with a JAK-2 probe indicated 9p24.1 amplification, suggesting reliance on the JAK-STAT pathway. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) analysis did not reveal any BRAF-V600 mutations. Consequently, an immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) was administered alongside chemotherapy, resulting in sustained complete remission and progression-free survival for over 4 years. Our findings suggest that a combination of ICI and chemotherapy could represent a promising therapeutic approach for HS.

Research on terahertz image analysis of thin-shell seeds based on semantic segmentation.

Assessing crop seed phenotypic traits is essential for breeding innovations and germplasm enhancement. However, the tough outer layers of thin-shelled seeds present significant challenges for traditional methods aimed at the rapid assessment of their internal structures and quality attributes. This study explores the potential of combining terahertz (THz) time-domain spectroscopy and imaging with semantic segmentation models for the rapid and non-destructive examination of these traits. A total of 120 watermelon seed samples from three distinct varieties, were curated in this study, facilitating a comprehensive analysis of both their outer layers and inner kernels. Utilizing a transmission imaging modality, THz spectral images were acquired and subsequently reconstructed employing a correlation coefficient method. Deep learning-based SegNet and DeepLab V3+ models were employed for automatic tissue segmentation. Our research revealed that DeepLab V3+ significantly surpassed SegNet in both speed and accuracy. Specifically, DeepLab V3+ achieved a pixel accuracy of 96.69 % and an intersection over the union of 91.3 % for the outer layer, with the inner kernel results closely following. These results underscore the proficiency of DeepLab V3+ in distinguishing between the seed coat and kernel, thereby furnishing precise phenotypic trait analyses for seeds with thin shells. Moreover, this study accentuates the instrumental role of deep learning technologies in advancing agricultural research and practices.

Characterizing Edible Oils by Oblique-Incidence Reflectivity Difference Combined with Machine Learning Algorithms.

Due to the significant price differences among different types of edible oils, expensive oils like olive oil are often blended with cheaper edible oils. This practice of adulteration in edible oils, aimed at increasing profits for producers, poses a major concern for consumers. Furthermore, adulteration in edible oils can lead to various health issues impacting consumer well-being. In order to meet the requirements of fast, non-destructive, universal, accurate, and reliable quality testing for edible oil, the oblique-incidence reflectivity difference (OIRD) method combined with machine learning algorithms was introduced to detect a variety of edible oils. The prediction accuracy of Gradient Boosting, K-Nearest Neighbor, and Random Forest models all exceeded 95%. Moreover, the contribution rates of the OIRD signal, DC signal, and fundamental frequency signal to the classification results were 45.7%, 34.1%, and 20.2%, respectively. In a quality evaluation experiment on olive oil, the feature importance scores of three signals reached 63.4%, 18.9%, and 17.6%. The results suggested that the feature importance score of the OIRD signal was significantly higher than that of the DC and fundamental frequency signals. The experimental results indicate that the OIRD method can serve as a powerful tool for detecting edible oils.

Therapeutic potential of natural products in schistosomiasis-associated liver fibrosis.

Schistosomiasis is a parasitic disease that endangers human health and social development. The granulomatous reaction of Schistosoma eggs in the liver is the main cause of hepatosplenomegaly and fibrotic lesions. Anti liver fibrosis therapy is crucial for patients with chronic schistosomiasis. Although Praziquantel is the only clinical drug used, it is limited in insecticide treatment and has a long-term large-scale use, which is forcing the search for cost-effective alternatives. Previous research has demonstrated that plant metabolites and extracts have effective therapeutic effects on liver fibrosis associated with schistosomiasis. This paper summarizes the mechanisms of action of metabolites and some plant extracts in alleviating schistosomiasis-associated liver fibrosis. The analysis was conducted using databases such as PubMed, Google Scholar, and China National Knowledge Infrastructure (CNKI) databases. Some plant metabolites and extracts ameliorate liver fibrosis by targeting multiple signaling pathways, including reducing inflammatory infiltration, oxidative stress, inhibiting alternate macrophage activation, suppressing hepatic stellate cell activation, and reducing worm egg load. Natural products improve liver fibrosis associated with schistosomiasis, but further research is needed to elucidate the effectiveness of natural products in treating liver fibrosis caused by schistosomiasis, as there is no reported data from clinical trials in the literature.

Guidelines for the clinical application of the Xihuang pill for the prevention and treatment of breast hyperplasia diseases.

CONTEXT: The Xihuang pill (XHP) is a traditional Chinese medicine formulation that has been historically used in the prevention and treatment of proliferative breast diseases. However, there is a lack of guidelines that offer recommendations for its clinical use. OBJECTIVE: The task force from the Chinese Guangdong Pharmaceutical Association aims to develop evidence-based guidelines for XHP to prevent and treat proliferative breast diseases. METHODS: We searched six Chinese and English electronic databases, including the China National Knowledge Infrastructure, the Chinese Scientific Journal Database, the Wanfang Medical Database, PubMed, and Embase, up to November 1, 2022. Publications (case reports, clinical observation, clinical trials, reviews) on using XHP to treat proliferative breast diseases were manually searched. The search terms were Xihuang pill, hyperplasia of the mammary gland, breast lump, and mastalgia. The writing team developed recommendations based on the best available evidence. RESULTS: Treatment should be customized based on syndrome identification. We recommend using XHP for the prevention and treatment of breast hyperplasia disease when a patient presents the following syndromes: concurrent blood stasis syndrome, concurrent phlegm-stasis syndrome, and concurrent liver fire syndrome. Safety indicators, including blood analysis and liver and kidney function monitoring, should be performed regularly during treatment. CONCLUSIONS: Current clinical evidence suggests that XHP can be used as a standalone treatment or in conjunction with other medications to prevent and manage breast hyperplasia diseases. More randomized controlled studies are warranted to establish high-quality evidence of its use.

Corilagin alleviates atherosclerosis by inhibiting NLRP3 inflammasome activation via the Olfr2 signaling pathway in vitro and in vivo.

Introduction: Atherosclerosis, a leading cause of global cardiovascular mortality, is characterized by chronic inflammation. Central to this process is the NOD-like receptor pyrin domain containing 3 (NLRP3) inflammasome, which significantly influences atherosclerotic progression. Recent research has identified that the olfactory receptor 2 (Olfr2) in vascular macrophages is instrumental in driving atherosclerosis through NLRP3- dependent IL-1 production. Methods: To investigate the effects of Corilagin, noted for its anti-inflammatory attributes, on atherosclerotic development and the Olfr2 signaling pathway, our study employed an atherosclerosis model in ApoE-/- mice, fed a high-fat, high-cholesterol diet, alongside cellular models in Ana-1 cells and mouse bone marrow-derived macrophages, stimulated with lipopolysaccharides and oxidized low-density lipoprotein. Results: The vivo and vitro experiments indicated that Corilagin could effectively reduce serum lipid levels, alleviate aortic pathological changes, and decrease intimal lipid deposition. Additionally, as results showed, Corilagin was able to cut down expressions of molecules associated with the Olfr2 signaling pathway. Discussion: Our findings indicated that Corilagin effectively inhibited NLRP3 inflammasome activation, consequently diminishing inflammation, macrophage polarization, and pyroptosis in the mouse aorta and cellular models via the Olfr2 pathway. This suggests a novel therapeutic mechanism of Corilagin in the treatment of atherosclerosis.

Genomic landscape and distinct molecular subtypes of primary testicular lymphoma.

Primary testicular lymphoma (PTL) is a rare lymphoma predominantly occurring in the elderly male population. It is characterized by a limited response to treatment and a heightened tendency towards relapse. Histologically, approximately 90% of PTL cases are classified as diffuse large B-cell lymphomas (DLBCL). Genetic features of PTL were delineated in a limited scope within several independent studies. Some of the articles which analyzed the genetic characterization of DLBCL have incorporated PTL samples, but these have been constrained by small sample sizes. In addition, there have been an absence of independent molecular typing studies of PTL. This report summarizes the common mutational features, copy number variations (CNVs) and molecular typing of PTL patients, based on whole-exome sequencing (WES) conducted on a cohort of 25 PTL patients. Among them, HLA, CDKN2A and MYD88 had a high mutation frequency. In addition, we found two core mutational characteristics in PTL including mutation in genes linked to genomic instability (TP53 and CDKN2A) and mutation in immune-related genes (HLA, MYD88, CD79B). We performed molecular typing of 25 PTL patients into C1 subtype with predominantly TP53 mutations and C2 subtype with predominantly HLA mutations. Notably, mutations in the TP53 gene predicted a poor outcome in most types of lymphomas. However, the C1 subtype, dominated by TP53 mutations, had a better prognosis compared to the C2 subtype in PTL. C2 subtype exhibited a worse prognosis, aligning with our finding that the mechanism of immune escape in PTL was primarily the deletions of HLA rather than PD-L1/PD-L2 alterations, a contrast to other DLBCLs. Moreover, we calculated the tumor mutation burden (TMB) and identified that TMB can predict prognosis and recurrence rate in PTL. Our study underscores the significance of molecular typing in PTL based on mutational characteristics, which plays a crucial role in prognostication and guiding therapeutic strategies for patients.

The History of Controlling and Treating Infectious Diseases in Ancient China.

Infectious diseases are the common enemies of mankind. In the course of historical development, they persistently threaten human health and safety. Even today, despite the developments in medical science, we cannot escape the fear and suffering caused by infectious diseases. Whether in ancient or modern times, the source of infection, route of transmission, and a susceptible population are the three key conditions for the prevalence and spread of infectious diseases. All factors closely related to these three conditions can affect the prevalence of infectious diseases. China is one of the cradles of world civilization. The ancient people accumulated a great deal of experience and lessons in the long struggle against infectious diseases. In the face of the current threat posed by widespread infectious disease, it is imperative to review and summarize ancient Chinese ideas and health policies on epidemic prevention and control to inspire contemporary efforts in the prevention and control of infectious disease. The combination of prevention-oriented epidemic prevention ideology and traditional medicine provides valuable insights, especially for impoverished and medically underserved regions.

Molecular pathology assists the diagnosis of lymphoepithelial sialadenitis, Sjögren's syndrome and extranodal marginal zone lymphoma of mucosa-associated lymphoid tissue.

Background/purpose: Lymphoepithelial sialadenitis (LESA), Sjögren's syndrome (SS), and salivary MALT lymphoma are diseases characterized by lymphoepithelial lesions, and the differential diagnosis between them in the salivary glands is challenging. This study aimed to explore clinicopathological and genetic characteristics of the three diseases. Materials and methods: We retrospectively analyzed the clinical features, the histomorphology, immunohistochemistry, and genetic profiling by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and next-generation sequencing (NGS). Results: There included 68 LESAs, 25 SSs, and 62 MALT lymphomas. Ten cases relapsed in total, and 3 of MALT lymphomas died due to high-level transformation. Immunohistochemical double staining showed FCRL4 cells co-expressed Pax-5 and Ki-67, suggesting FCRL4 cells were proliferative B-cells. The expression level of the FCRL4 was significantly higher in MALT lymphoma than LESA and SS. The detection rates of clonal IGH, IGK, and IGL gene rearrangements in MALT lymphoma with a sensitivity of 83.33%. Monoclonal immunoglobulin gene rearrangements were confirmed in five suspected patients by NGS (100%). Conclusion: FCRL4 B cells might play an important role in the formation of lymphoepithelial lesions and might be as a diagnostic positive marker of salivary MALT lymphoma. The application of multiple detection methods could significantly improve the diagnostic accuracy for MALT lymphomas from LESA and SS.

Genetic and prognostic analysis of blastoid and pleomorphic mantle cell lymphoma: a multicenter analysis in China.

Blastoid or pleomorphic mantle cell lymphoma (B/P-MCL) is characterized by high invasiveness and unfavorable outcomes, which is still a challenge for treating MCL. This retrospective study was performed to comprehensively analyze the clinical, genomic characteristics and treatment options of patients with B/PMCL from multicenter in China. Data were obtained from 693 patients with B/PMCL from three centers in China between April 1999 and December 2019. Seventy-four patients with BMCL (n = 43) or PMCL (n = 31) were included in the analysis. The median age of the cohort was 60.0 years with a male-to-female ratio of 2.89:1. The 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) rates were 44.1% and 46.0%, respectively. Mutations of TP53, ATM, NOTCH1, NOTCH2, NSD2, SMARCA4, CREBBP, KMT2D, FAT1, and TRAF2 genes were the most common genetic changes in B/P-MCL. Progression of disease within 12 months (POD12) could independently predict the poor prognosis of patients with blastoid and pleomorphic variants. Patients with POD12 carried a distinct mutation profile (TP53, SMARCA4, NSD2, NOTCH2, KMT2D, PTPRD, CREBBP, and CDKN2A mutations) compared to patients with non-POD12. First-line high-dose cytosine arabinoside exposure obtained survival benefits in these populations, and BTKi combination therapy as the front-line treatment had somewhat improvement in survival with no significant difference in the statistic. In conclusion, B/P-MCL had inferior outcomes and a distinct genomic profile. Patients with POD12 displayed a distinct mutation profile and a poor prognosis. New therapeutic drugs and clinical trials for B/P-MCL need to be further explored.

[Ecological Risk and Health Risk of Heavy Metal Pollution in Vegetable Production System of Zhejiang Province].

In order to understand the heavy metal contamination of soil and vegetables in the vegetable production system of Zhejiang Province and the health risks of vegetables consumed by residents, typical vegetable production bases in Zhejiang Province were selected as the study areas; 102 pairs of vegetable and soil samples were collected; the distribution characteristics of heavy metals Cd, Cu, Pb, Cr, As, Ni, and Hg in the vegetable production system of Zhejiang Province were analyzed, and the ecological health risks of the vegetable production system were systematically evaluated using the Nemerow composite pollution index, potential ecological risk index, and dietary exposure assessment model. The results showed that Cd in the soil seriously exceeded the standard, with an exceedance rate of 97.2%. The main risk of soil pollution was moderate and mild, and the highest risk was Cd, followed by Pb, Cu, and As. Among vegetables, only a small amount of bean and fruit vegetables exceeded the Cd content, with the exceedance rates of 12.5% and 8.7%, respectively. The BCF of different types of vegetables differed significantly and could be ranked accordingly:leafy vegetables>bean vegetables>melon vegetables>root vegetables. The non-carcinogenic and carcinogenic risks of Zhejiang residents consuming local vegetables were within acceptable limits, with children being more at risk than adults (P<0.01), and Cd and Pb contributing the most to health risks. The overall vegetables produced by the vegetable production system in Zhejiang Province were at a safe level, but there is a need to strengthen the control of Cd and Pb pollution sources.

Phosphorylated STAT3 as a potential diagnostic and predictive biomarker in ALK- ALCL vs. CD30high PTCL, NOS.

Aims: The differential diagnosis between ALK-negative anaplastic large cell lymphoma (ALK- ALCL) and peripheral T-cell lymphoma, not otherwise specified (PTCL, NOS) with high expression of CD30 (CD30high) are essential. However, no reliable biomarker is available in daily practice except CD30. STAT3 is characteristically activated in ALCL. We aimed to investigate whether the status of STAT3 phosphorylation could help the differential diagnosis. Methods: The status of phosphorylation of STAT3 was examined using two antibodies against pSTAT3-Y705 and pSTAT3-S727 by immunohistochemistry in ALK+ ALCL (n=33), ALK- ALCL (n=22) and PTCL, NOS (n=34). Ten PTCL, NOS with diffuse CD30 expression were defined as CD30high PTCL, NOS. Flowcytometric analysis were performed to evaluate the expression of pSTAT3-Y705/S727 in PTCL, NOS (n=3). Results: The median H-scores of pSTAT3-Y705 and S727 were 280 and 260 in ALK+ ALCL, 250 and 240 in ALK- ALCL, and 45 and 75 in CD30high subgroup, respectively. Using H score of 145 as the cutoff value, pSTAT3-S727 alone distinguished between ALK- ALCL and CD30high PTCL, NOS with a sensitivity of 100% and specificity of 83%. Additionally, pSTAT3-S727, but not pSTAT3-Y705, was also expressed by background tumor-infiltrating lymphocytes (S727TILs) in PTCL, NOS. PTCL, NOS patients with high S727TILs H score had a favorable prognosis than those with no TILs (3-year OS rate: 43% vs. 0, p=0.013) or low S727TILs (3-year OS rate: 43% vs. 0, p=0.099). Flowcytometric analysis revealed that of the three patients investigated, two had enhanced pSTAT-S727 signals in neoplastic cell populations, and all three patients were negative for pSTAT3-Y705 expression in both tumor cells and background lymphocytes. Conclusions: pSTAT3-Y705/S727 can be used to help distinguish ALK- ALCL from CD30high PTCL, NOS and pSTAT3-S727 expression by TILs predicts the prognosis of a subset of PTCL, NOS.

Discrimination of wheat flour grade based on PSO-SVM of hyperspectral technique.

Rapid detection of wheat flour grade played an important role in the food industry. In this work, hyperspectral technology was used to detect five types of wheat flour. An analysis model was established based on the reflectance of samples at 968 ∼ 2576 nm. Moreover, multivariate scattering correction (MSC), standard normalized variate (SNV), and Savitzky-Golay (S-G) convolution smoothing were used for preprocessing, which was employed to reduce the influence of noise in the original spectrum. In order to simplify the model, competing adaptive reweighted sampling (CARS), successive projection algorithm (SPA), uninformative variable elimination (UVE) and the UVE-CARS algorithm were applied to extract feature wavelengths. Both partial least squares discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) model and support vector machine (SVM) model were established according to feature wavelengths. Furthermore, particle swarm optimization (PSO) algorithm was adopted to optimize the search of SVM model parameters, such as the penalty coefficient c and the regularization coefficient g. Experimental results suggested that the non-linear discriminant model for wheat flour grades was better than the linear discriminant model. It was considered that the MSC-UVE-CARS-PSO-SVM model achieved the best forecasting results for wheat flour grade discrimination, with 100% accuracy both in the calibration set and the validation set. It further shows that the classification of wheat flour grade can be effectively realized by using the hyperspectral and SVM discriminant analysis model, which proves the potential of hyperspectral reflectance technology in the qualitative analysis of wheat flour grade.

Transformation of recurrent ALK-positive anaplastic large-cell lymphoma from common pattern to composite pattern (lymphohistiocytic and small-cell pattern) with a change in CD30 expression.

ALK-positive anaplastic large-cell lymphoma (ALK + ALCL) is characterized by expression of ALK and CD30. The current World Health Organization (WHO) classification recognizes five morphologic patterns: common, small-cell, lymphohistiocytic, Hodgkin-like, and composite. There are few reports about the morphologic transformation of ALK + ALCL. Today, we report an intriguing case of presumed transformation from common-pattern to composite-pattern (lymphohistiocytic and small-cell pattern) ALK + ALCL, with CD30 expression changing from positive to negative. This case expands understanding of morphologic transformation between different subtypes of ALK + ALCL and highlights common diagnostic pitfalls, including atypical morphology and negative CD30. Morphologic transformation of ALK + ALCL should be assigned importance, and comprehensive clinical history, histologic and immunophenotypic evaluation are vital to rendering the correct diagnosis of ALK + ALCL.

Stable isotope and elemental profiles determine geographical origin of saffron from China and Iran.

Origin verification of high-value saffron is essential for fair trade and to protect consumers' interests and rights. A traceability method using elemental content (% C and % N) and stable isotopes (δ13C, δ2H, δ18O, and δ15N) combined with chemometrics was developed to discriminate saffron from Iran and China and classify major domestic production areas in China. Results showed that Iranian samples had lower % C and % N contents but higher δ13C values than Chinese origin saffron, with δ13C acting as an important variable for origin discrimination. Moreover, δ2H and δ13C isotopes were found to be important variables to classify Chinese regional saffron origin. Two supervised pattern recognition models (PLS-DA) developed to classify Iranian and Chinese saffron, and regional Chinese saffron had a discrimination accuracy of 85.0 % and 80.2 %, respectively. These models provide the basis for a new regulatory inspection procedure to verify saffron origin and label claims, minimizing fraudulent mislabeling and adding value to saffron from specific regions.

Recent advances in Chinese food authentication and origin verification using isotope ratio mass spectrometry.

Over the last decade, isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS) using up to 5 light stable isotopes (13C/12C, 2H/1H, 15N/14N, 18O/16O, 34S/32S) has become more widely applied for food origin verification as well as food authentication in China. IRMS technology is increasingly used to authenticate a range of food products including organic foods, honey, beverages, tea, animal products, fruits, oils, cereals, spices and condiments that are frequently unique to a specific region of China. Compared to other food authenticity and traceability techniques, IRMS has been successfully used to characterize, classify and identify many Chinese food products, reducing fraud and food safety problems and improving consumer trust and confidence. IRMS techniques also provides scientific support to enhance China's strict government regulatory policies. Isotope testing verifies geographical origin labelling of domestic and imported foods, protects and verifies high value foods that are unique to China, and indicates environmentally friendly farming practices such as 'green' or 'organic' methods. This paper reviews recently published Chinese research to highlight the recent advances of IRMS as a regulatory and verification tool for Chinese food products.

All-polarization-maintaining NALM mode-locked Er/Yb-doped large-mode-area fiber oscillator.

We report a mode-locked high-power all-polarization-maintaining Er/Yb-doped large-mode-area fiber oscillator based on a bias nonlinear amplifying loop mirror (NALM). The oscillator can generate ∼1-nJ femtosecond pulses without dispersion compensation. By inserting a Martinez-type compensator to provide normal dispersion, it can generate >10-nJ picosecond dissipative solitons (DSs). The measured M2 factors are below 1.5, indicating a good beam quality. When the cavity dispersion is tuned to be ∼0.704 ps2, the oscillator can deliver chirped DSs with an average power as high as 690 mW at a repetition rate of 49.86 MHz, corresponding to a pulse energy of ∼13.8 nJ. The pulse after compression has a near Fourier-limited width of ∼2 ps. Successful demonstration of this laser provides a robust scheme for improving the performance of ultrafast fiber lasers in average power and pulse energy.

Human expansion into Asian highlands in the 21st Century and its effects.

Most intensive human activities occur in lowlands. However, sporadic reports indicate that human activities are expanding in some Asian highlands. Here we investigate the expansions of human activities in highlands and their effects over Asia from 2000 to 2020 by combining earth observation data and socioeconomic data. We find that ∼23% of human activity expansions occur in Asian highlands and ∼76% of these expansions in highlands comes from ecological lands, reaching 95% in Southeast Asia. The expansions of human activities in highlands intensify habitat fragmentation and result in large ecological costs in low and lower-middle income countries, and they also support Asian developments. We estimate that cultivated land net growth in the Asian highlands contributed approximately 54% in preventing the net loss of the total cultivated land. Moreover, the growth of highland artificial surfaces may provide living and working spaces for ∼40 million people. Our findings suggest that highland developments hold dual effects and provide new insight for regional sustainable developments.